Local state of emergency declared in Wexford County

According to county administration, a state of emergency has been declared due to widespread flooding.

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 20:30:33 GMT —

A local state of emergency has been declared in Wexford County.

According to county administration, the state of emergency has been declared due to the widespread flooding.

â??It does make me nervous. I've never dealt with something like this before,â?? said Carol Hendrickson, who lives near the Manistee River.

When Hendrickson woke up Monday morning, she was in for a big surprise as the river rose nearly a foot and a half.

â??I knew something was going on when... I looked outside this morning and totally took me by surprise because the water wasn't anywhere near that high last night.â??

Although Hendrickson has only lived in her Wexford County home for two years, her neighbors say the water hasn't been this high since 1994.

Water has not reached her house, but some of her neighbors aren't so lucky.

â??We just have some unique things happening with this weather event with the frost still being so high in the ground and the significant snow melt,â?? said Sarah Benson, Wexford County Emergency Management Coordinator.

The harsh winter we just experienced, coupled with rain and snow hasn't given the ground enough time to soak up the water.

â??Moving into the weekend when the river did start to rise Saturday, and even more so on Sunday we started to really keep a close eye on areas... that we've known to be sensitive to flooding in the past.â??

Flood waters are not only in yards but also on roadways, which has caused closures.

With floods reported across several counties, everyone is staying in touch.

â??We compile that data; keep that record. We've been entering it in the state's online incident management system, communicating with our regional and state partners.â??

Citizens are advised to avoid driving through the flooded areas, even if the area is not marked by cones or barricades. Report unmarked flooded areas to central dispatch at 231-779-9211.

Emergency sheltering is being handled on a case by case basis through the American Red Cross.

Wexford County officials say they have enacted the emergency operations plan and are gathering damage information.